Chrysanthemum plant named ‘Pink Yosonoma’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Chrysanthemum  plant named ‘Pink Yosonoma’, characterized by its upright, outwardly spreading and uniformly mounded plant habit; strong and vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; dark green-colored foliage; uniform, freely and early flowering habit; daisy-type inflorescences with light purple-colored ray florets; and excellent postproduction longevity.

Botanical designation: Chrysanthemum×morifolium.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Pink Yosonoma’.

CROSS-REFERENCED TO CLOSELY RELATED APPLICATIONS

Title: Chrysanthemum Plant Named ‘Red Yosonoma’U.S. Plant patentapplication Ser. No. 12/283,269.

Applicant: Wendy R. Bergman.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofChrysanthemum plant, botanically known as Chrysanthemum×morifolium,commercially grown as a pot-type Chrysanthemum and hereinafter referredto by the name ‘Pink Yosonoma’.

The new Chrysanthemum is a naturally-occurring whole plant mutation ofthe Chrysanthemum×morifolium cultivar ‘Yosonoma’, disclosed in U.S.Plant Pat. No. 17,860. The new Chrysanthemum was discovered and selectedby the Inventor in a controlled greenhouse environment as a singleflowering plant within a population of plants of ‘Yosonoma’ in December,2005, in Fort Myers, Fla.

Asexual reproduction of the new Chrysanthemum by vegetative tip cuttingswas first conducted in a controlled greenhouse environment in FortMyers, Fla. in March, 2006. Asexual reproduction by cuttings has shownthat the unique features of this new Chrysanthemum are stable andreproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum have not been observed under allpossible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature, daylength and lightintensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Pink Yosonoma’. These characteristicsin combination distinguish ‘Pink Yosonoma’ as a new and distinctpot-type Chrysanthemum cultivar:

-   -   1. Upright, outwardly spreading and uniformly mounded plant        habit.    -   2. Strong and vigorous growth habit.    -   3. Freely branching habit.    -   4. Dark green-colored foliage.    -   5. Uniform, freely and early flowering habit.    -   6. Daisy-type inflorescences with light purple-colored ray        florets.    -   7. Excellent postproduction longevity with inflorescences        maintaining good substance and color for about five to six weeks        in an interior environment.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum differ from plants of the parent,‘Yosonoma’, in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum flower more uniformly than        plants of ‘Yosonoma’.    -   2. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum and ‘Yosonoma’ differ in ray        floret color as plants of ‘Yosonoma’ have darker purple-colored        ray florets.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum differ from plants ofChrysanthemum×morifolium ‘Red Yosonoma’, disclosed in U.S. Plant patentapplication Ser. No. 12/283,269, primarily in ray floret color as plantsof ‘Red Yosonoma’ have cherry red-colored ray florets.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum can be compared to plants ofChrysanthemum×morifolium ‘Yoroanoke’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No.12,906. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Fort Myers, Fla.,plants of the new Chrysanthemum primarily from plants of ‘Yoroanoke’ inthe following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum had larger inflorescences        than plants of ‘Yoroanoke’.    -   2. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum flowered about one week later        than plants of ‘Yoroanoke’.    -   3. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum and ‘Yoroanoke’ differed in        ray floret color as plants of ‘Yoroanoke’ had lavender        pink-colored ray florets.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of thenew Chrysanthemum. These photographs show the colors as true as it isreasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color valuescited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describethe colors of the new Chrysanthemum.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet comprises a side perspectiveview of typical flowering plants of ‘Pink Yosonoma’ grown in acontainer.

The photograph at the top of the sheet is a close-up view of typicalinflorescences of ‘Pink Yosonoma’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations andmeasurements describe plants grown in Leamington, Ontario, Canada duringthe late spring in a glass-covered greenhouse and under conditions andpractices which approximate those generally used in commercial pot-typeChrysanthemum production. During the production of the plants, daytemperatures ranged from 20° C. to 24° C., night temperatures rangedfrom 15° C. to 17° C. and light levels ranged from 4,000 to 6,000 footcandles. Four unrooted cuttings were directly stuck in 15-containers,exposed to long day/short night conditions, and pinched about threeweeks later. At the time of the pinch, the photoinductive short day/longnight treatments were started. Plants used in the photographs and forthe description had been growing for eleven weeks and were grown asspray-types. In the following description, color references are made toThe Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except wheregeneral terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Chrysanthemum×morifolium ‘Pink Yosonoma’.-   Parentage: Naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of    Chrysanthemum×morifolium ‘Yosonoma’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat.    No. 17,860.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots.—About four days at temperatures of            21° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant.—About ten days at            temperatures of 21° C.        -   Root description.—Fine to thick, fibrous; white in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; moderately dense.-   Plant description: Appearance: Herbaceous daisy pot-type    Chrysanthemum typically grown as a natural spray type. Stems upright    and outwardly spreading giving a uniformly mounded appearance to the    plant. Freely branching habit, about five to six lateral branches    develop after removal of terminal apex (pinching); dense and full    plant habit. Strong and vigorous growth habit.    -   -   Plant height.—About 27.5 cm.        -   Plant width.—About 25 cm.        -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 22 cm. Diameter: About            3.5 mm. Internode length: About 2.5 cm. Strength: Strong.            Texture: Pubescent; longitudinally ridged. Color: Close to            148B.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, simple.        -   Length.—About 7.4 cm.        -   Width.—About 4.3 cm.        -   Shape.—Palmately lobed.        -   Apex.—Cuspidate.        -   Base.—Attenuate.        -   Margin.—Palmately lobed, sinuses between lateral lobes            parallel.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Fine pubescence; veins            prominent on lower surface.        -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to N137A.            Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 137B. Fully            expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 147A; venation,            close to 147B. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close            to 137A; venation, close to 147B.        -   Petiole.—Length: About 2 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Texture,            upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper and lower            surfaces: Close to 147B.-   Inflorescence description:    -   -   Appearance.—Daisy-type inflorescence form with elongated            oblong-shaped ray florets. Inflorescences borne on terminals            above foliage. Disc and ray florets arranged acropetally on            a capitulum. Typically grown as a spray-type.        -   Fragrance.—Not detected.        -   Flowering response.—Under natural conditions, plants flower            in the autumn/winter in the Northern Hemisphere. At other            times of the year, inflorescence initiation and development            can be induced under short day/long night conditions (at            least 13.5 hours of darkness). Early flowering habit; plants            exposed to three weeks of long day/short night conditions            followed by photoinductive short day/long night conditions            flower about nine weeks later.        -   Postproduction longevity.—Inflorescences maintain good color            and substance for about five to six weeks in an interior            environment; inflorescences persistent.        -   Quantity of inflorescences.—Freely flowering, about five to            seven inflorescences develop per lateral stem.        -   Inflorescence bud.—Height: About 1.8 cm. Diameter: About            1.2 cm. Shape: Ovoid. Color: Close to N77D.        -   Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 7.5 cm. Depth (height):            About 3 cm. Diameter of disc: About 1.4 cm. Receptacle            height: About 1 cm. Receptacle diameter: About 2 cm.            Receptacle color: Close to 137A.        -   Ray florets.—Shape: Elongated oblong. Orientation: Initially            upright, with development, close to 55° to 65° from            vertical. Aspect: Reflexed. Length: About 4.2 cm. Width:            About 8 mm. Apex: Acute or emarginate. Base: Attenuate;            short corolla tube. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower            surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; velvety. Number of ray florets            per inflorescence: About 45 arranged in about three whorls.            Color: When opening, upper surface: Close to 70A. When            opening, lower surface: Close to 77D. Fully opened, upper            surface: Close to 70B; color does not fade with development.            Fully opened, lower surface: Close to 84C; color does not            fade with development.        -   Disc florets.—Arrangement: Massed at center of receptacle.            Shape: Tubular, elongated. Apex: Five-pointed. Length: About            6 mm. Diameter: About 1.5 mm. Number of disc florets per            inflorescence: About 238. Color, immature: Apex: Close to            151C. Mid-section: Close to 145C. Base: Close to 145D.            Color, mature: Apex: Close to 1A. Mid-section: Close to            145C. Base: Close to 145B.        -   Phyllaries.—Number of phyllaries per inflorescence: About 24            arranged in about two whorls. Length: About 8 mm. Width:            About 2 mm. Shape: Narrowly elliptical. Apex: Acute. Base:            Truncate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper surface: Smooth,            glabrous; waxy. Texture, lower surface: Pubescent. Color,            upper and lower surfaces: Close to 146A.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 7 cm to 7.5 cm. Diameter: About            2.5 mm. Angle: About 45° from vertical. Strength: Strong,            flexible. Texture: Pubescent. Color: Close to 147B.        -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Present on disc florets            only. Filament length: About 1.5 mm. Filament color: Close            to 157D. Anther shape: Oblong. Anther length: About 2 mm.            Anther color: Close to 12A. Pollen amount: None observed.            Gynoecium: Present on both ray and disc florets. Pistil            length: About 5 mm. Stigma shape: Bi-parted. Stigma color:            Close to 3A. Style length: About 3 mm. Style color: Close to            150C. Ovary color: Close to 155D.        -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit production has not been observed.-   Disease/pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests common to    Chrysanthemums has not been observed on plants grown under    commercial conditions.-   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Chrysanthemum tolerate    temperatures ranging from about 5° C. to about 38° C.

1. A new and distinct Chrysanthemum plant named ‘Pink Yosonoma’ asillustrated and described.